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Hi, I wonder if you can help me – I am currently researching my family tree. My Grandmother’s father is the person we are trying to find some information about. His name was J Wright. (We believe James) – we have some letters that he wrote my great grandmother, and on these letters is the address where he lived. This was 36 Parsons Mead, west Croydon, Surrey.

My grandmother was born Florence May Harbertson - she took her step fathers name. Her date of birth is 26th May 1932.

James Wright we believe would have been born around 1905-1915…… We know he was in the Army and have pictures we believe was him. My Grandmother was born in 1932, so he must have been in the North East area in around 1931. Some of the letters we have are dated 1945/1946.

Local historians have said that the area Parsons Mead was once owned by the South Suburban Co-operative Society if this helps anyone, orwould anyone have access to the 1939 register to look?

Any information you could give would be massively appreciated.

Harry F Shout on the 1939 Register

1939 Register Transcription

Shout Household (4 People) 36 Parsons Mead , Croydon C.B., Surrey, England
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First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule Sub Number
Harry F Shout 25 Nov 1912 Male L P T B Permanent Work Relayers Heavy Worker Married 119 1
Mary C Short 25 Dec 1915 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 119 2
Harry F Turner (Shout) 11 Oct 1936 Male Under School Age Single 119 4
Chancelor ~??? 14 Jan 1888 Male Retired High Metal Dealer Own Ac Married 119 6



what is florence may harbertson mother name ?

Births Sep 1932 Harbertson Florence M Harbertson Tynemouth 10b

Is Alice M the mother of Florence?

Marriages Sep 1934
Bond Richard Harbertson Tynemouth 10b 663
Harbertson Alice M Bond Tynemouth 10b 663

If Alice is Florence's mum, is this her and her husband in the 1939 Regisrer?

Bond Household (2 People) 6 Grange Street , Longbenton U.D., Northumberland, England

Alice M Bond 08 Sep 1912 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 270 2
Richard Bond 06 Aug 1911 Male Colliery Haulage Hand Below Married 270 1

There are two closed records, one of which might be Florence, the second a son born Tynemouth 1934. A further son possibly born late 1939 or early 1940, and a further daughter born 1947, the latter two in Northumberland?

Hi, thank you both for the replies.

My grandmother Florence - is still alive, and yes that is her - her mother was alive maud harbertson who went on to marry bond.

Most of my family are from Northumberland .

My grandmother's father was J Wright from the address given above. We assume he was possibly in the army and that's why he was up in the north east. There are pictures of him, and letters that he wrote my great grandmother.

When my grandmother was born, he wanted to marry my great grandmother, but whatever happened happened and he didn't and left and my great grandmother married Bond and went on to have 2 other children.

The only information I have is that address and his name :(

Do I gather you can't be sure the first name is James?

Hi, I think James is possibly just an assumption - plus I know many people will go by other names.

Your best bet would be to contact the main library local to that Croydon address and ask if they would do an electoral roll look-up for you (there 'may' be a small charge?).

They usually keep the electoral rolls there - there will, of course, be no records kept during the war years but if you can date any of those letters to before or after the war then they may be able to help you.

Dea x

Thanks Dea, I have asked the Croydon archives and am waiting on a reply. The letters I think may be dated 1945/1946 but that seems strange as my great grandmother was remarried then (naughty naughty) but - who knows?! :)

Did he sign himself J Wright in the letters he wrote your great grandmother, or did he use a forename?

I know what you mean about people using other names etc

Ancestry has All Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1962, but I'm struggling to find anything, maybe someone else will have better luck?

Hi, sorry for the late reply, I went to my aunties house today to see the letter in person..... he has signed it Jim. I also have pictures, now whats confusing is, he must have been in the north east when he wrote these letters as he talks about meeting my great grandmother the next day, yet he still wrote his name and address on the letter? would that be a normal thing to do??

The letters I assume were written before 1932 and the pictures I believe after 1939...... my great grandmother was married to another man by then... naughty naughty

Is there a way to add pictures to this forum?

Go to the top of the page and click un 'keepsafe' - you can upload pictures to there and if you want others to see them you have to mark them 'open to all' or something similar.

You can then post the URL to the thread.

Dea x